Thursday, October 13, 2016

While others were dealing with hurricane Matthew, the mid-Atlantic was spared. So, instead of hunkering down we got up and motored over to the boat show. What follows are my impressions of that day.

This year, like last year, we parked over on the Eastport side of Spa Creek in the Eastport Elementary School's parking lot and then walked over the Spa Creek Bridge to the Annapolis side. This, at least for us, seems easier than parking over at the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium and riding a school bus to the city dock area where the show is held. We left home at about 9 am, parked and walked over to the still closed gate (show opens at 10), bought our wrist bands and then moseyed over to Sophie's Crepes. Starting off the day with an excellent crepe is most civilized even if the seating is outdoors. Parking at Eastport and eating crepes is becoming a tradition. What are traditions you ask? That's easy: traditions are all those things we did last year that I liked. If I liked it, chances are good we'll do it again.

They seemed to have turned a blind eye to the boats. This little pram was half full of water.

In the early part of the day the skies were dark and threatening rain. The feeder bands from Matthew spared us.

We walked on, noting the increase in barges which soon would be offering free drinkies.

Although I've walked along these same docks at other times of the year it's always a little disorienting when the boat show comes to town and extra pilings and floating docks are added.

As the day wore on, the skies brightened and the wind picked up.

Diaristwoman and diaristdaughter always check out the displays touting cruises to tropical sorts of places.

Of course there were big tubs. Wouldn't be a boat show without ' em. Your diarist never once removed his shoes to go aboard. No sense gawking at something you can't afford.

Meanwhile the Waszp display was hip-deep with foiler wanna-bees.

While IMCA legal, the Waszp is not competitive against state of the art foiler Moths. The Waszp is built more for durability than outright speed. The boat is a good twenty pounds heavier that an IMCA boat due to the use of aluminum for the blades and T-foils rather than lighter and more expensive, more fragile carbon. The hull as well is mostly fiberglass rather than carbon fiber.

Having said all that, the Waszp does have some interesting features such as the free-standing mast (no shrouds to cheese slice yourself through in the event of a pitch-pole). The boom is a wishbone. Without seeing the boat completely rigged I couldn't make out how the traveler or sheeting were arranged. Too many punters in the way.

Back out amongst the big tubs again. Catamarans this time.

As I walked, I idly thought that these open maws could easily swallow a Moth. Say, how 'bout this: maybe if the little boat had a collapsible mast, mounted on a tabernacle, one could zoom under the mother ship, like James Bond, and then pop up through a bottom hatch into the cockpit dressed in a tux, holding a Martini. "Infinity, James Infinity."

Obviously this scenario wouldn't work with a Trimaran.

Hang on, maybe this guy is going to test my fantasy.

Na, he didn't. He slipped away out into the mooring field.

Zooming across Spa Creek to the Chart House restaurant. No doubt they were doing a roaring trade.

Obligatory photo of a boat with 2 or 3 acres of teak.

The Woodwind II was offering short cruises.

Although I'll probably never own a big boat I do admire the classic lines of boats like this one from Morris. Wait, what's that I see in the distance?

TIWAL? WTH is a TIWAL?

You've have to read about it here. It looks like the ill conceived spawn between an Aussie Scow and a gummy boat. I guess it goes OK.

Lots of breeze. When you can hear it whistling through the rigging it's at least 20 knots.

I have an old Elvstrom Moth sail. Glad to see Paul E's marque is still going strong.

The juggler was reduced to juggling balls. Last year he juggled medicine clubs--way more thrilling.

Hey there Tillerman, this model could be the basis for a nice perpetual trophy, don't you think? Only $245 smackers.

Love the thin cirrus clouds. Autumn is here.

Where is she going now? Ah, I see a Pusser's rum "painkiller" in the hand of the man coming towards us.

While she had her painkiller I doubled back to the Zim Sailing display. Zim Sailing supplied me with a replacement wheel for my Practic dolly. We had to ship a wheel back and forth but in the end they got the job done. I said "Hi" to Nate the individual that I swapped emails with during that time. Nice to place a face with a name. Super nice folks. Highly recommended.

Random photo featuring a Canadian Maple Leaf for my two Canadian readers. Gotta keep my options open-at least 'til the dust settles on the 9th of November. One never knows--I may need to slip North O' the border...

Final photo. The Annapolis YC almost a year after the Christmas fire that gutted parts of the building. From the street side it doesn't appear that much has been done, which is frankly surprising. I figured by now the clubhouse would be totally repaired. Just goes to show--you never can tell.

About Me

I'm a 60-something year old goat (who's counting? I don't look a day over 70) who enjoys racing Classic and Vintage Moth Boats (a small development class of sailing dinghy), putzing with little British cars, riding bikes (both motor and pedal),figure skating and an occasional bimble.